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' GHANGABLE-SGENERY FOR THEATERS.

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` ATTORNEYS.

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LAFAYETTE WV. SEAVEY, OE NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OE ONE-HALF TO CHARLES BARNARD, OE SAME PLACE. l

. CHANGEABLE SCENERY FOR THEATERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Lletters ,Patent No. 292,689, dated January 29, 1,884.

' Application filed August 25,1883. (No model.)

for instance, a house, castle, or other buildingand that may be easily/'taken apart for convenience in transportation, said scene, when put together, forming a set-scene capable of standing alone on any part of the stage independently of any other scenes' or any external means of support, and also being capable of turning completely around on a vertical axis in either direction for the purpose of exposingto the audience different sidesof the set-scene as circumstances may require. To accomplish this rotation of the setscene, each separate piece or portion of it is mounted on rollers arranged to rest upon the stage, so that on applying suitable power the entire structure is made to revolve upon the stage in either direction. To insure the rotation of the setscene into any Adesired position on the stage, I also provide'and combine with the set-scene metal tie-rods built up in-sections, and each consisting of duplicate rods joined together by a screw-buckle, one of said duplicate rods having a hook at its outer end designed to engage with some portion of the set-scene, and the other of said rods having aloop at its end, which loop is passed over ahand-screw screwed into the stage at the center of the set-scene. It is designed to use four or more of these tierods, and to pass the loops on the inner ends of each over the central screw, which is the center of rotation of the structure, so that said rods both serve as guides for the rotation of the set-scene and as ties to holdthe structure or set-scene firmly together. Other methods of tying or bracing the set-sdene together, however, may be adopted, and I reserve the right to use any supplementary system of interior bracing that the shape of the setscene may require. A

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specication', in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

.Figure l represents a general partlysec tional plan`, showing a set scene in position on a theater-stage, the prosceuiumarch,and wings of the stage. Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the center of the set-scene and stage in part. Fig. 3 is a detail view, showing the manner in which the roller-supports for the set-scene may be attached, and the manner of connecting the tie-rods with said scene.

The set-scene represented in the drawings is composed of. any number of separate scenes or part scenes A A, each of which has attached to it and is supported by one or more rollers, b, arranged to rest and run upon the stage B, of vwhich R indicates the proscenium-arch and S the wings.

C CA are the tie-rods of the set-scene, of which there are here shown four, but the number may be varied. Each of these tie-rods is composed of duplicate rods united by a screw or turn-buckle, D. The inner section or rod, C, of these'tie-rods is constructed with a loop,

c,which, so far as a lower series of said rods are concerned, is arranged to fit over a handscrew, E, that screws into the stage at the center of the set-scene. The outer section, C, of said tie-rods is formed with a hook, d, which engages with ascreweyebolt,e,that is screwed into the frame-work of the scene or part scene A, with which the tie-rod connects. There may be both upper and lower setslof these tierods, C C', as shown in Eig. 2, and the same serves both as guides for the rotation of the setscene and as ties to hold the structure or setscene firmly together. When an uppervset of tie-rods is used, then, instead of the loops on said rodsengaging with a hand-screw, they may simply fit over `a-center bolt arranged to pass through the loops. The adj ustability of said rods by the screw or turn-buckles D, provides for regulating both the guiding and bracing functions of them, and the manner in which they are fitted to the center hand-screw and to the part scenes which they connect provides for the rapid erection and dismemberment of the set-scene,\vhich,being built up in sections, as described, affords every facility for transportation.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. Changeable theatrical scenery composed of a number of separate scenes or part scenes, arranged and combined so as to form a complete set scene or structure, capable of standing alone or independent of any other scene or outside support, also capable of ready dismemberment, as described, to facilitate transportation, and provided with attached rollers under the scenes or part scenes, to admit of the rotation in dierent directions about a common center of the set-scene When put together, and of rolling it from one part of the stage to another, for the purpose of exposing different sides of the structure and for varying its position relatively to the other scenes on the stage, substantially as specied.

2. In changeable theatrical scenery composed of a number of separate scenes or part scenes, combined to form a complete set scene or structure, the combination, with a center hand-screw and rollers on the bottoms of the part scenes, of adjustable tie-rods arranged to connect the part scenes or certain of them with the hand-screw, and constructed to provide ally-constructed tie-bolts C C', formed with a 4o loop, c, at their one end and a hook, d, for engagement with the scene or part scene at their opposite end, and the screw or turnbuckles D, uniting the sections of said rods, essentially as shown and described, and for the purposes herein set forth.

LAFAYETTE W. SEAVEY. Vitnesses:

J As. F. CRossEN, 'CHARLES W. TREMBLEY. 

